Streets of Blood

A Vampire Zine for Dark Streets & Darker Secrets

Alan Bahr
II Streets of Blood
Author: Alan Bahr
Artist: Bree Orlock, Bradley K.
McDevitt
Layout: Alan Bahr
Copyright 2019, Gallant Knight
Games.

Dedication
To the White Wolf of the 90s, which
inspired a fever dream of gaming,
punk and goth lifestyle for me.
To leather trench coats, couch-
surfing, and the Crystal Method.
And to the who I thought I was, and
who I came to be.
And to Diogo. Who has rekindled a
part of me long dead with his
excellent work in the game industry
and our partnership. Here’s my first
written contribution to your genius,
and here’s to many more.
This game requires the use of Diogo
Nogueria’s excellent DARK
STREETS & DARKER SECRETS.

Buy it.
 Streets of Blood 1

Table of Contents
Welcome, Children of the Night 1

Blood Never Lies 2

Playing a Vampire in Dark Streets & Darker Secrets 4

Vampiric Powers 8

Weaknesses 10

The Blood-Red Night 13

The Enemies of Vampires 16

Optional Rules 17

Open Game License (OGL 1.0a) 18

Welcome, Children of the Night

I
n the world of Dark Streets & Darker Secrets, the characters find
themselves opposed by a mirror of their world, though one darkly
lit. In this context, they are opposed by forces, what a poorly
educated individual raised on too much mass media would call forces of
darkness.

It is a stupid term, one filled with idiotic politics and propaganda. The
forces of darkness is a term meant to cast the denizens of the dark night
into opposition with humanity. It means fucking nothing.

The dark night is not your enemy. It is a warm, comforting embrace. A

familiar friend, a lover you didn’t know you had, but one whose scent is
familiar, welcoming, and seductive. The shadows beyond the streetlights
are there to be taken if one simply wants to snatch the power from them.

And you should....

2 Streets of Blood

Blood Never Lies

O
f the many denizens of the night, perhaps the most commonly
known is the vampire. Popular culture has spread significant
lies about the realities of vampirism, their behaviors and
habits, and their desires and wants.

Here is the truth of the vampiric condition, carried from sire to child by
blood. There are many mythologies about Vampires, but in the world of
Dark Streets & Darker Secrets, these details below are the truth.

Vampires require blood. Truth. This is the core element of the vampire
myth that rings true and eternal. While vampires require blood, it is not
food in the sense that mortals think of. It is a mystical requirement, a tax
the world imposes for their existence.

Vampires live forever. Wrong. Vampires exist only in fleeting

moments. Vampires do not visibly age, but each vampire has a limited
life-span and will eventually expire of “natural causes”, though this
vampiric life is far longer than the average mortal’s life (upwards of 300
years.) Truly powerful vampires know magics that can sustain them.

Those a vampire bites become like them. False. The vampiric bite or
embrace has li�le to do with who becomes a vampire. Passing on the
night’s blessing is a ritual enacted by the elder vampire and the vampire-
to-be, with full knowledge and consent of the blessings and restrictions
that come with it. One can not be forced into vampire-hood.

Vampires have supernatural powers. True, beyond any measure of a

doubt. Vampiric powers are learned however, not passed on through
blood, and so a siring elder must teach their neophyte vampire the ways
of the Moonlit Court.
 Streets of Blood 3
Vampires are weak against threats like garlic, sunlight and holy
symbols. True in a sense. All vampires share a weakness against
sunlight, though other weaknesses are acquired through age and
mystical powers.

Vampires have no soul. Any vampire you posed such a question to

would take your life for such insolence. They have as much a soul as any
human, they claim. Can a human prove the existence of their soul?

Vampires are a insular sort of creature, with byzantine laws, codes of

conduct, and their own views on reality. They are as much a culture as
any other in the daylight world, with their own squabbles, fights,
disagreements, religions and hatreds.

They just have the supernatural powers to really fuck some shit up if
they want to...

...and they motherfucking want to.

4 Streets of Blood

Playing a Vampire in Dark Streets &

Darker Secrets

I
f we’re being honest, playing a vampire in Dark Streets & Darker
Secrets is easy. You follow the normal rules for character creation,
with some modifications.

Vampires have the same four A�ributes as other characters, but with
the special addition of a special resource: Blood. They are also not capped
at 18 like an average human would be.

The rules for character creation for vampires assume the player will be
starting with a newly fledged vampire, fresh off the ritual that gave them
their power.

You can find more about how Blood is used in the Vampiric Powers
section.

Attributes
To generate each score, roll the following:

Physique: 2d6+6
Agility: 2d6+6
Intellect: 2d6+3
Willpower: 2d6+3
Intelligent readers will notice that Physique & Agility are higher than
the average human.

No shit. You’re a goddamn vampire. That higher physical ability comes

at a price though. You’ll pay it soon. Don’t worry.
 Streets of Blood 5
Create a Character Concept.
This functions just like in the Dark
Streets & Darker Secrets rule book.

Choose an Archetype
Here’s where it gets weird. Vampires
don’t get access to any of the four main
archetypes. Instead, they have a special
archetype: Vampire.

Prime A�ribute: Physique and

Willpower

Recovery Roll: 1d3 per Blood rolled.

Blood Limit: A vampire may never have a Blood a�ribute higher than
their level + 1 (so 1 for a first level vampire.)

Special Abilities:

• Healing Factor: Vampires don’t heal normally. They have no

access to a recovery roll like normal characters do. When a
character would normally have an opportunity for a
recovery roll, the vampire instead does a Blood Test for each
d3 they want to roll to heal.Roll a d6. If the result on the D6
roll is equal to or lower than the Blood score, it means the
healing occurs successfully, but on a failure, a vampire also
loses 1 Blood.

• Feed: A vampire gains Blood by feeding on living mortals.

Feeding on supernatural monsters doesn’t aid them. During
downtime, a Vampire must make an Intellect A�ribute Test.
6 Streets of Blood
If successful they recover 1 Blood. If they fumble they get no
blood, and generate a complication (see the Hunting
Complication table below.) If their success is a critical
success, they gain 2 Blood.

• Supernatural Strength & Speed: A vampire gets a Positive Die

on Physique and Agility A�ribute Tests if their Blood is full
(at it’s maximum allowable amount. )

1d6 Roll Complication

1 Police!: The police are on patrol or are called,
forcing you to evade them so you can escape.
2 Drug Addict: You fed on a drug addict. You must
make a Willpower A�ribute Test, or lose 1d3 blood as
you vomit it back up.

3 Hunted: Hunters have found you. You need to

escape them, with a Agility A�ribute Test, lest they
follow you to where you are safe.
4 Monster: A significant player in the urban occult or
supernatural of the city has claimed this territory.
Have you made an enemy?
5 Poisoned: The blood you hunted has been laced
with a deadly mystical toxin, targeted at vampires.
Who knew you were coming and why are they out to
get you?
6 Elder Territory: You’ve accidentally fed in territory
an elder vampire has claimed. They want
recompense...
 Streets of Blood 7
• Sunlight Weakness: A vampire takes 2d6 damage each turn
they are in direct sunlight or UV light.

Vitality, Luck and everything else works normally for a Vampire.

Table 1: Hunting Complications

8 Streets of Blood

Vampiric Powers

V
ampires advance just like normal characters. However,
vampires have a special set of powers only they can acquire. All
of these powers must be taught by an elder vampire who knows
these abilities.

When we say only a vampire can acquire them, we mean in the fiction
of the game. For the sake of not reworking already excellent rules, where
an existing power in Dark Streets & Darker Secrets works to emulate
vampire abilities, we just refer you to that power. While magical Hypnosis
and vampiric Hypnosis come from different sources and are different in
the context of story, mechanically they’re the same.

When a vampire uses it, it’s not magical in the same sense, and it feels
different.

A vampire may only know powers equal to their level -1., and each
time they acquire one of these powers, they must take a weakness.

Vampire powers require a successful Blood Test against the Vampire’s

current Blood to activate. To make a Blood Test, roll a d6. If the result on
the D6 roll is equal to or lower than the Blood score, it means the power
occurs successful. On a failure, a vampire loses 1 Blood, but the power still
occurs.

Animal Communication
The vampire may speak with creatures of the night. Such animals might
be stray dogs, wolves, bats, crows, ravens, alley cats, rats, or more. The
animals ability to communicate is limited by the way the animal perceives
the world. This lasts for PL rounds.

Animal Form
 Streets of Blood 9
The vampire can take on a single animal form, such as a wolf, dog, cat,
bat, or rat. (Jesus fucking Christ, we’re rhyming now?)

The vampire can stay in this form until the next sunrise if they desire,
though their vampiric powers (other than Animal Communication) will
not function and they can not feed. Any special mode of transportation
(like flight) they’d have in that animal form, or natural species bonuses to
senses (like a wolf’s sense of smell) they get while in that form.

Augment Attribute
The vampire can increase the raw potency of their Physique or Agility.
They test Physique or Agility (chosen when this power is used) with a
Positive Die. This bonuses lasts for X turns, where X is the vampire’s level
+ the number of Blood they choose to spend when they use this power.

Burst of Speed
The Vampire may immediately take X move actions, where X is the
Blood they spend after successful activating this power.

False Friendship
Just like the power in the Dark Streets & Darker Secrets rule-book.

Ferocity
Just like the power in the Dark Streets & Darker Secrets rule-book.

Hypnosis
Just like the power in the Dark Streets & Darker Secrets rule-book.

Mind Control
Just like the power in the Dark Streets & Darker Secrets rule-book.
10 Streets of Blood
Read Thoughts
Just like the power in the Dark Streets & Darker Secrets rule-book.

Shadow Cloak
Just like the power in the Dark Streets & Darker Secrets rule-book.

Sunlight Resistance
The vampire can ignore damage from UV or Sunlight for PL rounds.

Toughness
The Vampire is unnaturally tough. They can spend blood up to their
PL to gain an equivalent amount of armor reduction.

Unnatural Aging
The vampire ages slowly. They may live a number of centuries equal to
their Blood a�ribute’s maximum amount.

This power is likely irrelevant in a campaign unless it spans centuries,

but for context:

Normal vampires only exist safely for a number of centuries equal to

half their Blood a�ribute’s maximum amount.

Vampires aren’t fucking immortal and they know it, so they don’t take
stupid risks. They got centuries to make it work...

Weaknesses
 Streets of Blood 11

V
ampires must take a weakness each time they learn a new
supernatural power. Some weaknesses can be taken twice (the
weakness will say, and usually make the consequences worse.)
If a weakness doesn’t explicitly say it can be taken twice, it can’t.

Garlic
To approach an area ringed with garlic, you must make a successful
Willpower A�ribute Test. If you take this Weakness twice, this test is
made with a Negative Die.

The garlic must be no more

than a weak old, and be
undiluted with other material
and chemicals.

It’s not mystical, it just smells

like shit.
Holy Symbols
To approach a strongly
presented holy symbol, you
must make a successful
Willpower A�ribute Test. If you
take this Weakness twice, this
test is made with a Negative Die.

For context, strongly

presented means the presenter
must firmly believe in the
religion they are presenting a
symbol for. A Star of David,
crucifix, Thor’s Hammer, or any
12 Streets of Blood
religious symbol is valid, as long as the bearer truly believes and a�empts
to follow that religion to the best of their honest ability.

Fucking religion, amirite?

Lack of Reflection
You exhibit no reflection in screens, mirrors, or in video or photographs.
This weakness makes you a lot easier to notice.

Hell, it’s a fucking crime to not be seen when you’ve got

centuries to get the perfect outfit together.
Running Water
To cross running water, you
must make a successful Willpower
A�ribute Test. If you take this
Weakness twice, this test is made
with a Negative Die.

The water must be fresh, and

more than a garden hose amount.
A man-made construct will also
allow you to cross it. (Note: Oceans
aren’t running water.)

Water is the worst damn thing.

It’s hard to dry out when your
body produces no heat.
Jagged Fangs
When you feed, it it doesn’t close
neatly. Any bites left by you are
 Streets of Blood 13
visable and remain bleeding wounds. You tend to kill the prey you feed
on.

This weakness causes you to be easier to track or follow your feeding

pa�erns.

Feeding should be good for both parties...not a fucking horror

show.
Ivory Skin
Your skin is hard, marble-like and cold to the
touch. You feel like death froze over.

Anyone you touch is immediately aware of your

supernatural chill and you have to wear gloves to
hide it.

If you wanna blend in, it’s best to avoid coming

across as a damn corpse.
Hideous Appearance
You are just flat-out fucking disgusting to look at.
Anytime your appearance would be a detriment to
your situation, you suffer a Negative die.

Fuckin’ christ, you’re wearing the monster on

the outside.

The Blood-Red Night

V
ampires require more than just mechanics
and stats. Vampires are the modern
gothic romance made undead flesh, and
14 Streets of Blood
they thrive on politics, intrigue, and
blood. What is presented below is a
sample political set up for vampires that
you can drop into any city.

Feel free to adjust, change or modify it

as you see fit. It’s only one idea out of
millions.

The Moonlit Court

T
he Moonlit Court is the ruling
council of vampires, forged out
of necessity about a century ago.
After a string of deaths from careless
feeding, and questioning mortals
knocking on lair doors, the oldest
vampires in town decided that something
had to be done.

So they did what vampires do best, and

consolidated power, enacting their own
laws through claw, fang and blood. Lairs burned as human pawns did the
bidding of masters they didn’t know existed. No one had time to ask
questions, try to address problems or plead for safety, as a flaming brand
was swept through the vampire community in an a�empt to cull the area
of those who were less than careful about hiding what they were.

Then it ended, when they declared their work done, and their hands red
with blood.

Nowdays, the fucking Moonlit Court runs everything like it or not, and
they prefer to keep their boots on the neck of those under them.
 Streets of Blood 15
If you’re not playing careful, their shithead enforcers (called
Hellhounds) will catch you, and drag you in front of those wizened blood
geezers with their suits, ties and their board room tables, where they’re
gonna sit high and mighty and sentence you to burn in the daylight if they
don’t like your tone. In a lot of ways, might makes right here, and they
have all the might.

The best thing you can do is follow their damn

rules:
Don’t Get Noticed
The best rule, and the biggest one is to avoid
ge�ing caught by the mortals or hunters. No one likes
a�ention less than the Moonlit Court, and if you
shine a spotlight on them, they fucking break
everything in an a�empt to turn that light off.

Don’t Feed on the Protected

The Moonlit Court has said that you can’t feed on
certain types of people (usually their pets) and it’s
best that you follow along with those rules.

Don’t Pick Fights in Havens

The Court has designated some areas to be safe
havens, where vampires can’t fight each other, so
throwing down there tends to get a whole lot of shit
headed your way.

So yeah.

That’s basically it. You follow those three rules and

the Moonlit Court will kinda let you do your own
16 Streets of Blood
thing. But if they come knocking, you be�er
be able to fuck some shit up if you decide to
push back against them. Cuz they’ll toe-tag
you faster than you can scream fuck, and they
won’t shed any tears over doing so.

The Enemies of
Vampires
Look, we’re not gonna devote pages to
things that want to kill and eat vampires. But
there’s a lot. So let’s touch on them briefly, so
you know where vamps fall in the natural
order of predators.

Hunters
The biggest threat is the supernatural
hunters that tend to call the world of Dark
Streets & Darker Secrets home. Hunters are
everywhere, and they look and taste normal,
so you go�a be careful.

Some vampires manage to show hunters

how they’re not a threat and even team up
with them.

Werewolves
If vampires have a natural enemy in this
world, it’s those goddamn werewolves.
Those fuckers are out for vampire blood on a
regular basis, and they can smell a vampire a
 Streets of Blood 17
mile away.

They’re tougher than you, stronger than

you, and they got more built in weapons than
you.

Optional Rules
Feeding Risk
You can increase the risk of feeding by having
the target of the vampire’s feed have to make an
A�ribute Test against the Vampire’s Blood + the
amount they’ve been drained. On a failure, they
die.

Teeth & Claws

The core vampire here doesn’t have teeth and
claws as weapons (just feeding implements), so
they have no natural weapons.

If you want to give them any natural weapons,

just give them a built in melee weapon that
always does 1d6 damage. Nice and easy.

Bullet Sponge
You can give vampires natural armor against
firearms to represent all their dead organs. This
gives them an Armor 2 against any a�ack from
guns that fire bullets. This Armor will stack with
other armor.
18 Streets of Blood
If you use this, you should make sure vampires take double damage
from fire or similar a�acks, so they remain balanced.

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INTRODUCTION
Dark Streets & Darker Secrets is based on the System Reference Document v3.5 (“SRD”), which is Open Game
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More information on the Open Game License can be found at: h�p://www.wizards.com/d20
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 Streets of Blood 19
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15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright ©2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright ©2000-2003,
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David
Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wya�, based on original material by E.
Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
The original roleplaying game “The Black Hack” text, tables, all artwork, logos and layout are Copyright 2016, David
Black.
“Additional Things” text, tables, artwork and layout are Copyright 2016, David Black.
“Dark Streets & Darker Secrets” Copyright ©2018 Diogo Nogueira.
“Streets of Blood” Copyright ©2019 Alan Bahr